Wheeled toy.



Patented May 15, 1917.

INVENTOR.

l4 TTORNEV TJNITEE %ATE% ATENT @FFIQE.

JOHN C. TURNER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

WHEELED TOY.

Application filed November 25, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. TURNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheeled Toys, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a device forconnecting together two or more sections of a wheeled toy.

The object of the invention is to provide a connecting device of thiskind which can be easily manipulated to connect together the two parts,or sections, of the toy, and which, when the connection has beenaccomplished, will form a strong, durable connection which will not beliable to be separated or broken by the child in playing with the toy. Afurther object of the invention is to provide such a connecting devicewhich will permit both parts, or sections, of the toy to be lifted bygrasping one of them, and will maintain the two parts in approximatelytheir normal positions when they are so lifted. A further object of theinvention is to provide a connecting device of a very simple,inexpensive character which can be applied to cheap toys as well as tothe higher priced toys; and further to provide such a connection whichcan be constructed integrally with the respective parts of the toy, andcan be formed from sheet metal simultaneously with the forming of thebody portions of the parts of the toy.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of alocomotive toy, partially broken away to show my connecting deviceinterposed between the engine and the tender; Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken on the line aa of Fig. 1, showing the connecting device in plan;and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the end portions of the engine andtender, partly broken away, to show the connecting device appliedthereto.

In these drawings I have illustrated the invention as applied to alocomotive toy, comprising an engine and a tender, the latter beingconnected with the engine by means of my invention. It will beunderstood, however, that the connecting device is not limited to usewith any particular type of toy, but that it may be utilized wherever itis desired to separably connect together two parts or sections of a toy.

Patented May 15, 1917.

semi No. 133,301.

In carrying out my invention I have provided one part of the toy,preferably the for ward part, with upright members which are rigidlysecured thereto and are spaced apart.

Cooperating with these upright members is a member, or plate, secured toand projecting from the adjacent end of the other part of the toy, thismember being of a width greater than the distance between the twoupright members and having openings to receive these members, therebyenabling the connection to be established by lifting the last mentionedpart of the toy and placing the connecting members in interlockingengagement. When the last mentioned part of the toy has been lowered toits normal position a very firm, strong connection has been established,which can only be sepa rated by imparting a movement to one part of thetoy relatively to the other much greater than is liable to be impartedthereto in the ordinary use of the toy, but at the same time permittingthe two parts to be quickly and easily separated when this is desired.The relative sizes of the openings and upright members are such that thetwo parts of the toy may have a relatively large amount of pivotalmovement about both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. Further, Ihave provided the two parts of the toys, below the horizontal axis aboutwhich the two parts of the connecting device pivot, with contactsurfaces which limit the pivotal movement of the connecting devices, andconsequently the two parts of the toy, and cause the one part of the toyto be held. in approximately its normal position with relation to theother part of the toy when said other part is lifted.

The invention may be embodied in various forms, but that illustrated inthe accompanying drawings is highly eflicient and very inexpensive. Asthere shown I have provided the lower portions of the walls of the cabof the engine 1, at their rear edges, with inwardly extending flanges 2,preferably formed by bending inwardly the rear edges of the plates fromwhich the walls are formed, these flanges constituting the uprightmembers of the connecting device. It will be noted that the inner andupper edges of the flanges are unobstructed, to permit the cooperatingmember to be placed in engage ment therewith. These flanges extendupwardly from the bottom plate, or floor, of the cab which has adown-turned flange 3 which stiffens the same, and may be said toconstitute the frame of the toy structure. The second part of the toy,the tender 4: in the present instance, is provided at that end adjacentto the engine with a forwardly projecting plate 5, which is of a widthgreater than the distance between the inner edges of the flanges 2 andwhich is provided in its lateral edges with openings, or notches, 6,adapted to receive the flanges and establish the connection between thetwo parts of the toy. These notches are spaced from the front edge ofthe plate a distance sufficient to provide shoulders 7, of amplestrength to withstand any strain which may be imposed thereon. Thenotches, or openings, 6 are of a width greater than the thickness of theflanges 2, thereby not only permitting of a free swinging movement ofthe two parts of the toy about both a vertical axis and a horizontalaxis, but also enabling the two parts of th connecting device to be veryquickly and easily brought into interlocking relation, to therebyestablish the connection. The plate 5 may be of any suitable characterand may be connected with its part of the toy in any suitable manner,but in the present instance I have shown the plate as comprising anextension to the bottom of the tender, with which it is integrallyformed.

It will be noted that the connection is such that it will not beseparated by the lifting of the engine, but the tender will be liftedwith the engine. To maintain the tender in approximately its normalposition when it is lifted with the engine I have provided means forlimiting the downward movement of the tender about the horizontal axisof the connecting device. This is accomplished in the present instanceby providing the two parts of the toy below the horizontal axis of theconnecting device with opposed surfaces which will be brought intoengagement by the downward movement of the tender. In the presentconstruction one of these surfaces comprises the down-turned flange 3 ofthe bottom of the cab. comprises a flange 8 depending from the notchedportion of the plate 5. As shown in the drawings, the floor of thetender is somewhat lower than the floor of the cab, and the forwardlyextending part of the floor of the tender is first bent upwardly, toform the flange 8, and is then bent forwardly, the notches being formedin the forwardly bent portion close to the flange 8. In this manner Inot only provide the abutting flange 8 to form a stop to limit themovement of the tender about the horizontal axis of the con nectingdevice, but I also bring the connecting plate 5 up to the level of thefloor of the cab.

The particular shape and arrangement of the parts here shown are notessential to the successful operation of the device, nor is it The othersurface necessary that the members of the connecting device should beformed integrally with the respective parts of the toy. However, theconstruction here shown enables the flanges and the connecting plate tobe formed from the same sheets of metal from which the respective partsof the toy are made and is of a material advantage from a manufacturingstandpoint as it greatly cheapens the production of the device. It willbe apparent that the construction'is very strong and will withstand anystrain to which it is liable to be subjected; and inasmuch as it isnecessary to move the tender upwardly a very considerable distance ortilt the same sidewise far enough to disengage the notched plate fromthe flanges of the engine before the two parts of the connection can beseparated there is very little liability of the connection beingseparated under ordinary conditions of use. Hence, the connecting deviceis not only very inexpensive to manufacture, but is of a strong, durablecharacter, and is very efficient as a connecting device.

I wish it to be understood that I do not de sire to be limited to thedetails of construction shown and described as various modificationswill occur to a person skilled in the art. For example, in thatembodiment of the invention here illustrated it is preferable that twoupright members, or flanges, be employed, but it will be apparent thatthe number of upright members be varied as desired without departingfrom the invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and wishto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a toy having two parts adapted to be connected one to the other, aconnecting device comprising upright flanges extending inwardly from theopposed edges of one part of said toy near one end thereof and havingtheir inner edges spaced apart, a plate secured to and projecting beyondthe adjacent end of the other part of said toy, said plate being of awidth greater than the distance between said flanges and having notchesin the lateral edges thereof to receive the respective flanges.

2. A toy comprising two parts adapted to be connected one to the otherand having overlapping portions, one of said portions having openingsnear the respective latoral edges thereof, and the other portion havingupright members rigidly secured thereto and spaced apart to enter therespective openings in the first mentioned portion, said upright membersextending some distance above said overlapping portions when the twoparts of said toy are in their connected positions.

8. A wheeled toy comprising two parts, one of said parts comprising abody portion formed of sheet metal and having integral inturned flangesat one end thereof, said flanges being spaced apart, the other part ofsaid toy having a bottom plate of sheet metal, said plate extendingbeyond that end of the last mentioned part of said toy adjacent to theflanged end of the first mentioned part thereof, a projecting part ofsaid plate being of a width greater than the distance between the inneredges of said flanges and having notches in the lateral edges thereof toreceive the edges of said flanges and establish a separable connectionbetween the two parts of said toy, said flanges being unobstructed attheir inner and upper edges to permit said notched plate to be placed ininterlocking engagement therewith.

4:. In a toy having two parts adapted to be connected one to the other,a connecting device comprising members carried by the respective partsof said toy and adapted to be placed in interlocking relation to connecttogether the two parts of said toy, said interlocking parts havingrelative movement to permit one part of said toy to move about ahorizontal axis relatively to the other partthereof, and the two partsof said toy having opposed surfaces arranged below said interlockingmembers to limit the movement of said' part of said toy about saidhorizontal axis.

5. In a toy having two parts adapted to be connected one to the other, aconnecting device comprising upright members carried by one part of saidtoy near one end thereof and spaced apart and a cooperating membercarried by the adjacent end of the other part of said toy, projectingbeyond said end thereof and having openings to receive the respectiveupright members, said openings being of a width greater than thethickness of said upright members to permit the free movement of thelatter therein, the two parts of said toy also having cooperating meansto limit their relative movement about the horizontal axis of saidconnecting device.

6. In a toy having two parts adapted to be connected one to the other, aconnecting device comprising upright members carried by'one part of saidtoy near one end thereof and spaced apart, and a cooperating membercarried by the adjacent end of the other Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the part of said toy,projecting beyond said end thereof and having openings to receive therespective'upright members, the two parts of said toy also havingopposed surfaces arranged immediately below said cooperating member andadapted to limit the movement of one part of said toy relatively to theother part thereof about the horizontal axis of said connecting device.

7. In a toy having two parts adapted to be connected one to the other, aconnecting device comprising upright flanges extending inwardly from theopposite sides of one part of said toy near the end thereof and havingtheir inner edges spaced apart, a plate secured to and projecting beyondthe adjacent end of the other part of said toy, said plate being of awidth greater than the distance between said flanges, and having notchesin the lateral edges thereof to receive the respective flanges, saidplate having a flange depending from the notched portion thereof andarranged to engage the end of the first mentioned part of said toy tolimit the movement of said plate about the horizontal axis of saidconnecting device.

8. In a locomotive toy, an engine comprising a bottom plate having adepending flange at one end thereof, side walls extending upwardly fromthe sides of said bottom plate and having inturned flanges, said flangesbeing spaced apart and having their inner and upper edges unobstructed,a tender comprising abottom plate of sheet metal extending beyond thatend of said tender adjacent to the engine, said bottom plate beingarranged on a lower level than the bottom plate of said engine and beingbent upwardly to form a flange opposed to the flange of the bottom plateof said engine, and then bent forwardly, said forwardly bent portionbeing provided with notches in its lateral edges adjacent to the flangethereof, said notches being adapted to receive the flanges carried bysaid walls of said engine, and said notches being of such a sizerelative to said flanges that said tender may be moved about both ahorizontal and vertical axis relatively to said engine.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

JOHN C. TURNER.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

